My creatures are here!

My creatures are here! I left for Madrid on Thursday, thinking I could book some hotels for Monday and have a look at the 3 storey Salvador Bachiller store but I didn't realise that it was a public holiday and everything would be closed. Was very cranky. Starbucks was open though and El Corte Ingles so I spent a happy hour browsing and buying books, then went to Starbucks to drink and read. I actually had a bit of trouble finding accommodation- I went to six places that were full before finding one free. And I was worried I'd have to book into a 5 star hotel for the night (what a shame that would have been...)

On Thursday night, I went out to buy a bottle of water, and saw huge crowds lining the streets so I joined them without knowing what they were waiting for, and it turned out to be a procession. These people dressed in purple Ku Klux Klan outfits were walking down the street, some carrying crosses, some with chains on their feet, with some priests swinging incense, women dressed in black with black veils (actually, they looked a bit like reformed hookers but I think it's a bit sacrilegious to say that) and marching bands, plus two platformy things with candles and the figures of Jesus and Mary on them. It was interesting to start off with, but kept going for around an hour and a half, with the same purple people, same hooker-like women, same priests and got very monotonous. I was waiting for the self-flagellating people to start whipping themselves as they walked down the street but they never came. Very disappointed. Some Spanish women in the crowd were getting very aggressive because they kept getting pushed around by the people around them and started abusing everyone.

After that, I joined a twenty minute queue for a bocadillo de calamares which wasn't really worth the wait. I liked being by myself though, because I could do what I wanted without worrying if someone else was getting bored.

On Friday, I got up early because Mum's and Allen's flight got in a 10:30 but nothing was open for breakfast so I had to go back to Starbucks and get another chai latte. I was so happy to see them walk through the gates, I nearly peed in my pants.

We went out for tapas last night, then Allen and I joined Javier and his friends at the drinking bar place and went bar hopping. Had a relatively early night though because my creature was tired but we ate a potato before we went home (WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I love those potatoes).